NASHVILLE — Mayor Madeline Rogero is "strongly opposed" to a state bill allowing residents of annexed areas of Knoxville and five other Tennessee cities to de-annex themselves through referendums, which the mayor's office says would be "chaotic, traumatic and a step backward."

The bill is the second phase of a massive shift in Tennessee municipal annexation law that began in 2014 when the General Assembly ended six decades of annexation simply by the majority votes of city councils and replaced it with a requirement for the consent of residents of areas to be taken into city limits, through referendums or petitions.

The de-annexation bill would allow 10 percent of the registered voters of a territory annexed since May 1, 1998, or whose annexation "became operative" after that date, to petition for a de-annexation referendum. De-annexation would occur if approved by a majority of voters in the referendum.

House Bill 779 failed on the last day of the 2015 legislative session but its supporters vowed to return with it this year. And they have, with an amended version that limits most of its provisions to just six cities: Knoxville, Chattanooga, Memphis, Johnson City, Kingsport and, oddly, Cornersville (pop. 1,199, in Marshall County) — places where the bill says "citizens have experienced the most egregious forms of annexation and have no other reasonable course to redress their grievance than to petition for a vote."

The House Calendar Committee on Thursday morning scheduled the de-annexation bill for a House floor vote on Monday. It's sponsored by Rep. Mike Carter, R-Ooltewah and Sen. Bo Watson, R-Hixson.

"The City of Knoxville is strongly opposed to de-annexation legislation," said Eric Vreeland, the mayor's communications manager, on Wednesday. "The city hasn't pursued any involuntary annexations in more than a decade, nor does Knoxville want to resume involuntary annexations. But we do believe cities should be able to grow in an orderly and logical fashion within defined growth boundaries.

"Likewise, allowing de-annexation of properties that have been a part of the city of Knoxville for at least a decade, or many decades, would be chaotic. Infrastructure and facilities — streets, sidewalks and fire halls, for example — have been constructed as areas have been annexed. Services have been upgraded as businesses and residents have come into the city.

"From a standpoint of fairness, Knoxville neighborhoods share a cohesive sense of identity. They're part of our urban fabric. Dividing neighbors would be traumatic and a move backward," Vreeland said.

Memphis Mayor Jim Strickland said Wednesday the bill is "potentially devastating" to his city, potentially costing it up to 100,000 residents and up to $64 million in property tax revenue.

Strickland, who took office as Memphis mayor Jan. 1, said the city has identified 10 potential de-annexation neighborhoods that could petition for referendums if the bill is approved in its current form.

The phrase in the bill allowing de-annexation to occur in areas where annexation "became operative" after May 1, 1998, is key because that covers areas where annexations were approved before 1998 but were delayed by court battles until later.

Strickland said he's reaching out to his colleagues in Knoxville, Chattanooga and the other affected cities. "And we are going to reach out to the governor's office to talk about this issue."